Border Collie

By 1-2 months, border collie puppies will have both distinct characters and the typical coat of their breed. Dogs of this breed tend to push themselves to meet their owners’ expectations, so people should take care not to demand excessive exercise during their growing years. Also, border collies are highly sensitive to moving objects and will pursue them, so they must be carefully trained while they are still very young.

This breed,, once called the Scottish collie,or simply the collie, was develop in the area bordering England and Scotland, hence its name. It is considered the most capable of all sheepdogs, with a natural ability to control sheep, and ranchers rave about it and claim one dog can do the work of several ranch hands.

Restless and best kept occupied, border collies have remarkable long attention spans, are highly motivated, and take pleasure in accomplishing tasks, thus their reputations as workaholics. Because of their natural ability, border collie do not differentiate between playing and accomplishing tasks, which makes them ideal for people who need canine companions that can accomplish specific goals. One owner says that training them is like playing a game of wits.

Origin : United Kingdom
Size : (male) Height 20-22 inches; Weight 40-51 pounds
(female) Height 19-21 inches; Weight 36-44 pounds
Coat : Long, thick, and wavy or slightly curly, undercoat is soft and dense. Colors include black, tan and white, and blue merle.

Belgian Sheepdog

The dogs of the long-haired Groenendael breed, named after a castle near Brussels are alert and agile, with a marked wariness.

The masked, short-coated Malinois breed, very similar to a German shepherd dog, derives from the Malines area in Belgium. The Tervuren breed, resembling a long-haired German shepherd and named for a Brussels suburb, is derived from crossbreeding the others. Its beautiful coat, much softer to the touch than it appears, take a few years to grow fully.

Belgian shepherd dogs handle vigorous training well and work actively as sheepdogs, sled dogs, and police and rescue dogs. All require a lot of exercise.

The long-haired types must be brushed very carefully during the shedding period.

Origin : Belgium
Size : (male) Height 24-26 inches; Weight 71-80 pounds
(female) Height 22-24 inches; Weight 71-80 pounds
Coat : Long (Groenendael), short (Malinos), long and straight, with dense undercoat (Tervuren). Colors are black (Groenendael), fawn with black mask (Malinos), varying from fawn to mahogany with black tipped overcoat, a black mask and black ears (Tervuren)

Bearded Collie

Bearded collie puppies have distinct coat colors that lighten at about 6 month and set about 1 year later, except for those with solid black coats, and their hair eventually covers their large eyes.

These natives of the Scottish Highlands, a vast, cold wilderness often rainy and thick with fog, are named for their long, beardlike muzzle hair. Bardies-also called highland collies and hairy mountain dogs-though of uncertain origin and lineage, have worked at sheepdogs for about 2000 years.

The sheepherding instinct of the gentle, friendly and increasingly popular beardie is still at work. “When my family goes for a walk with our dogs and someone drops behind,” says one owner, “the beardie becomes nervous and frustrated.” Another owner comments, “I’ve seen a beardie trying to herd others dogs in the dog run.”

“They are very sensitive to the owner’s feelings and express tenderness in a casual manner. They are dogs that are never in your way.

Until they are 12-18 months old, their “puppy coat” is still very soft and tends to tangle easily, requiring careful brushing, their coat acquires its distinct roughness only at about 3 years.

Origin : United Kingdom
Size : (male) Height 21-22 inches; Weight about 49 pounds
(female) Height 20-21 inches; Weight about 49 pounds
Coat : Harsh; undercoat is soft and dense. Long muzzle fur resembles a beard. Colors include slate, grey, brownish fawn and white with black or orange markings. Some have a blaze or a collar

Australian Shepherd

Australian shepherds love to move, but, as one owner points out, when they are puppies, they seem to hop rather than run. At 1-2 months, their ears stand up, with the ends lopping forward, forming the so-called Aussie ears, and their eyes, dark violet at first, gradually lighten to blue or amber. Despite its name, the Australian shepherd, which resembles the border collie, was first bred in the United States. However, its lineage is not clear. It may be the offspring of a dog. European immigrants crossed with a sheepdog from Australia, or it may be descended directly from a dog from Down Under, and some people believe it carries the blood of the Australian wild dog, the dingo.

Aussies are herding dogs, and very skilled ones. Even today, they work in the United States as cattle dogs. Tough, energetic, and highly trainable, they require a lot of physical activity.

These observant dogs have a knack for being in tune with their owners’ thoughts, and they are deeply affectionate toward their owners and those they perceive as being part of the owners’ families. And, although they are highly territorial, Australian shepherd bark sparingly, though many of them like to “chat.”

Use a hard brush for grooming, and note that their coats tend to form clumps of hair (which they may try to eat when they shed, so clean up carefully).

Origin : United Stated
Size : (male) Height 20-23 inches; Weight 50-65 pounds
(female) Height 18-21 inches; Weight 35-50 pounds
Coat : Straight or wavy, undercoat seasonally change density. Feathering on neck, chest, and forelegs prominent in males. Color include red merle, blue merle, red and black, all of which may include white markings or tan points.

Australian Kelpie

The breed’s origin and lineage are uncertain, though some people believe its name is derived from legendary Scottish water sprite, alternatively, it hearkens back to a dog by that name.

Active, intelligent, and hardworking, these natrives of their namesake country have great stamina. “They are bustling about all day, and seem to sleep very little,” says one owner. “They are very serious, and they will never fail to respond to your call.” Appropriately for dogs bred to hard sheep. Australian kelpies are quick to size up situations, and they know when to be aggressive and when to withdraw.

On the job, these tough, high spirited, and zealous sheepdogs can easily run 30 miles a day, so they must be walked long distance or allowed to run freely to satisfy their need for exercise, and it is important to provide them with tasks that engage them both physically and mentally. This highly social breed is easy to train and to teach various games-and fun to play with. The Australian kelpie’s all weather coat requires little maintenance.

Origin : Australia
Size : (male) Height 18-20 inches; Weight 24-31 pounds
(female) Height 17-29 inches; Weight 20-24 pounds
Coat: Short, smooth, and derise. Colors include black, tan, red, chocolate, and bluish grey.

Breeds by group : Non-Sporting Group

These breeds, also called utility dogs, come in a variety of sizes and appearances, indeed, the group consists of breeds that do not fit neatly into the other existing categories. Nevertheless, each breed has characteristic appropriate to another group, the poodle, the lhasa apso and the Frech bulldog, for example, could be classified under the toy group. Some breeds, too, have features that are found in more than one group.

Breeds in this group:

Bichon Frise
Boston Terrier
Bulldog
Chow Chow
Dalmatian
French Bulldog
Lhasa Apso
Poodle
Schipperke
Shar-Pei
Shiba Inu
Tibetan Spaniel

Breeds by group : Working Group

Many of the breeds in this group, large, powerful animals, often used as working dogs, guard dogs, police dogs, or rescue dogs, were group together from other categories such as the herding group and the sporting groups. Although they are fundamentally faithful to their owners subjecting them to rigorous training from the time they are puppies is vital.

Breeds in this group:

Akita
Alaskan Malamute
Bernese Mountain Dog
Boxer
Bullmastiff
Doberman Pinscher
Dogo Argentino
Giant Schnauzer
Great Dane
Great Pyrenees
Leonberger
Newfoundland
Rottweiler
Saint Bernard
Samoyed
Siberian Husky
Standard Schnauzer

Breeds by group : Toy Group

These small, adorable breeds, culled from the hounds group, the sporting group, and the terrier group to form a new category, generally maintain the temperament and appearance characteristic of the group to which they originally belonged. The breeds of this group, though gentle and faithful, are relatively strong for their size but need human protection. Their company is comforting and delightful, and few require much exercise.

Breeds in this group:

Brussels Griffon
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
Chihuahua
Chinese Crested
Italian Greyhound
Japanese Chin
Maltese
Manchester Terrier
Miniature Pinscher
Papilon
Pekingese
Pomerian
Pug
Shih Tzu
Yorkshire Terrier

Breeds by group : Terrier Group

The breeds of this group, which possess a peculiar trait known as “terrier fire,” are hunting dogs bred to ferret out small animals such as foxes, rabbits, and badgers from their lairs. To maintain their characteristic appearance, a special grooming technique known as stripping-pulling out dead hair- is necessary. They are agile and alert, and in spite of their small size, these breeds tend to be aggressive and daring. They also display a unique ability to think independently while tracking and hunting, and they are bright enough to outsmart small animals that threaten crops and livestock. The more you get to know these dogs, the more their fiery dispositions and intelligence will enchant you.

Breeds in this group:

Airedale Terrier
Bedlington Terrier
Border Terrier
Bull Terrier
Cairn Terrier
Jack Russell Terrier
Kerry Blue Terrier
Lakeland Terrier
Miniature Schnauzer
Norfolk Terrier
Scottish Terrier
Sealyham Terrier
Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier
Welsh Terrier
West Highland Terrier
Wire Fox Terrier

Breeds by group : Hound Group

Dogs in the hound group, as opposed to those of the bird-hunting sporting group, track larger animals, they are further subdivided into sight hounds and scent hounds. As indicated by their subgroup names, sight hounds are able to spot animals from long distance, and scent hounds have a keen sense of smell, which make them adept at sniffing animal out. Specialists at tracking animals, the breeds of this group are quick, persistent hunters.

Breeds in this group:

Afghan Hound
Basenji
Basset Hound
Beagle
Borzoi
Dachshund (Miniature)
Irish Wolfhound
Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen
Saluki
Whippet

Breeds by group : Sporting Group

The breed of this group are often used to hunt birds such as snipes and ducks; each breed has its own speciality. Some are fit for hills and dales, While others are at home in the wetlands and alongside bodies of water. Some are good at tracking and chasing prey, and others excel at retrieving their sharp senses enable them to react quickly to the presence of game. However, the custom of using a team of several dogs for hunting has also helped these breeds develop temperate disposition that make them compatible with other dogs and sensitive to human feelings.

Breeds in this group:

American Cocker Spaniel
Brittany Spaniel
Clumber Spaniel
English Cocker Spaniel
English Pointer
English Setter
English Springer Spaniel
Flat-Coated Retriever
Golden Retriever
Irish Setter
Labrador Retriever
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
Weimaraner

Breeds by group : Herding Group

Dogs in this group-herding dogs, cattle dogs, and sheep dogs- were bred for agility, robustness and intelligence to aid them in protecting cattle from wild animals. Many breeds in this group are sociable and intelligent enough to work alongside humans, and they respond well to structure and order and are at their best when kept busy. Simply speaking, they are workaholic.

Breeds in this group:

Australian Kelpie
Australian Shepherd
Bearded Collie
Belgian Sheepdog
Border Collie
Bouvier des Flandres
Cardigan Welsh Corgi
Collie
German Shepherd
Old English Sheepdog
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Shetland Sheepdog